Vintage Wooden Tshi Vessel Cup from Congo, Africa - 7" x 5" x 6"

$149.99

Share on

This vintage vessel was handcarved from wood by the Tshi people deep in the Congo. The name 'Tshi", being short for Tshiluba; however, in Africa, many people refer to the Tshiluba people by Tshi for short. While this cup is quite old, the exact age is unknown. Age is typically not a variable that most traditional African cultures keep track of, unfortunately. Luckily however, we can use other methods to judge the age of an object. One being patina, which is highly evident on the handle, sides, and brim of the container, where it was most often held. Many of these cups have repairs on the outsides, which is a method called Repoussé; a French word, meaning metal hammered into the side of an object. This is done to repair a separation that the wood may naturally obtain as it ages and dries.

These vessels were made for their own purposes, and in most cases for a single person or families use. This is why many of them contain custom embroidery, not only for their own aesthetic desires, but also as a way to distinguish their own appliances from other families. This container is free-standing and does not require a base to reside upon.